Brazilian scientists have studied the tears of certain animals with the aim of treating certain human ophthalmic disorders. They looked at the secretions of birds and reptiles, including those of caimans, according to a study published Thursday in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Researchers explain that these crocodilians hydrate their corneas in a unique way: where a man blinks his eyes nearly 15 times per minute to spread his tears on the surface of his eye, the caiman only performs this movement every minute. two o'clock. However, his eye is not drier. His tears could therefore help develop treatments for dry eyes and other conditions, reports The New York Times .
Bird and reptile tears aren't so unlike our own, shows a new study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. @Tech_Networks. https://t.co/gZ1cKoDKPV
- Molly Campbell Sci Journalist (@mollyrcampbell) August 17, 2020A snowflake structure
The researchers compared samples taken over several years from crocodilians, turtles, owls and parrots to tears from mammals such as humans, dogs or horses. They thus observed that the composition of the different types of tears studied varied depending on the species but also on their environment.
In particular, they felt that caiman tears could owe their longevity in terms of hydration to their internal structure. Once dry, they leave traces of shape comparable to snowflakes and forming a much denser and thicker mesh than that observed in other animals. “It's one of the most beautiful things you can see,” comments Arianne Oriá, lead author of the study.
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